Quick release buckle



Sept. 29, 1970 J. v. FERRANDO QUICK RELEAE BUCKLE Filed April 16, 1968INVENTOR. JUAN VILARRUBIS FERRANDO Mfz jwMzQ-Ak his A TTORNE YS.

United States Patent 3,530,546 QUICK RELEASE BUCKLE Juan vllarrubisFerrando, Barcelona, Spain, assignor to Nemrod-Metzler, S.A., Barcelona,Spain, a corporation of Spain Filed Apr. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 721,836 Int.Cl. A44b 11/25 US. C]. 24-75 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A quickrelease buckle comprising two buckle elements each including adjacentplate portions lying in different planes and integrally connected by abend line to provide side-by-side raised and recessed portions with anopenended slot between them and extending generally along the line ofthe bend, the buckle elements being coupled by orienting them ininverted relation and at angles to each other and interengaging theslots such that the line of intersection forms a hinge line between theelements, the raised portions of the buckle elements being accommodatedin the recessed portions when the elements are pivoted toward the sameplane, and means interlocking the recessed and raised portions toprevent relative movement between the buckle elements when the buckleelements are pivoted toward the same plane, the buckle elements beingreleased by pivoting the buckle elements relative to each other alongthe hinge line to separate the interlocking means and then moving thebuckle elements relative to each other to disengage the slots.

This invention relates to a quick release buckle compnsing two buckleelements which can be easily and securely coupled and quickly releasedin the event of emergency.

The buckle elements of the present invention contain oppositely disposedopen-ended slots which can be interengaged when oriented at angles toeach other to hinge the buckle elements together. When so hingedtogether the tension of the belt will tend to pivot the buckle elementstoward a common plane, in which position locking portions of bothelements interengage with each other to prevent relative movementbetween the elements. The buckle elements are, nevertheless, readilyreleased by pivoting them relative to each other along the hinge line todisconnect the locking portions and then moving the buckle elementsrelative to each other in opposite directions to disengage the slots.

In a. preferred embodiment of the quick release buckle of the presentinvention, both buckle elements are of identical construction.

The quick release buckle of the present invention is adapted for generaluse as a coupling, but it is particularly adapted for emergency release,for example, of equipment carried by underwater swimmers.

For a complete understanding of the present invention reference can bemade to the detailed description which follows and to the accompanyingdrawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the quick release buckle of the presentinvention with the elements thereof separated;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the buckle elements oriented beforethey are coupled;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the buckle elementshinged together; and

FIG. 4 is a front view similar to FIG. 1 with the buckle elementscoupled.

Referring to the drawings, the quick release buckle of the presentinvention in preferred form comprises two identical buckle elementsconnectable to the ends of 3,530,546 Patented Sept. 29, 1970 ICC a belt11 and capable of being locked together when one is inverted withrespect to the other.

The buckle elements 10 are preferably made of bendable plate material,such as stainless steel, and each includes a portion 12 connectable to abelt, a locking portion 13 having its opposite ends bent rearwardly toform locking lips 14, and a recessed portion 15 intermediate theportions 12 and 13 and integrally connected to them by bend lines 16 and17. The adjacent plate portions 13 and 15 are thus offset in differentplanes with the portion 13 raised and the portion 15 recessed whenviewed from the front face of the buckle element.

The buckle portion 12 is shown having two spaced apart parallel slots 18to facilitate the connection with the end of the belt, but any othersuitable means for connecting the belt and belt buckle elements can beused.

An open ended slot 19 is formed between the portions 13 and 15, and theslot is generally in line with the bend line 17.

The length of the recessed portions between the opposite edges 20thereof is slightly less than the spacing between the locking lips 14.Also, the width of the recessed portion between the bend lines 16 and 17is at least as wide as the width of the locking portion 13 adjacent theslot 19. This will permit the locking portion 13 of one buckle elementto be accommodated within the recessed portion 15 of the other buckleelement and between the locking lips 14, so that the locking lips 14 areengageable with the edges 20 of the recessed portion to prevent relativemovement between the buckle elements to disengage the slots.

The buckle elements are coupled by orienting the buckle elements atangles to each other in upside down relationship, as illustrated in FIG.2, and interengaging the slots, as illustrated in FIG. 3, such that theline 21 of intersection forms a hinge line between the buckle elements.When the buckle elements are coupled in the manner shown in FIG. 3, thetension of the belt will tend to pivot the buckle elements on the hingeline 21 toward the same plane, as shown in FIG. 4. As the buckleelements are pivoted from the position illustrated in FIG. 3 to theposition illustrated in FIG. 4, the rear surface of both lockingportions 13 will move toward the front faces of the recessed portions15, interlocking the locking lips 14 with the edges 20. The buckleelements cannot be accidentally disconnected in normal use when they arein the relative positions shown in FIG. 4.

The buckle is quickly released by reversing the locking procedure, thatis to say, by pivoting the buckle elements along the hinge line 21 tothe relative positions illustrated in FIG. 3, thereby separating thelocking lips 14 from the opposite edges 20 of the recessed portion, andthen moving the buckle elements relative to each other to disengage theslots, as shown in FIG. 2.

The buckle elements can be shaped to accommodate the surface which theywill engage. For example, the buckle elements are shown slightly curvedto rest against the waist of the user.

The quick release buckle of the present invention has been shown in asingle form and by way of example only, and obviously many othermodifications and variations are possible within the spirit of theinvention. For example, the buckle elements need not be made identicalas shown in the drawings, but rather the depth of the slot 19 of one canbe longer and the depth of the corresponding slot of the other elementcan be made shorter. Also, the locking lips 14 can be formed at oppositeends of the portion 20 and project forwardly to accommodate between themthe opposite edges of the locking portion 13. The invention, therefore,is not intended to be limited to any specified form or embodiment exceptinsofar as such limitations are expressly set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. A quick release belt buckle comprising two identical plate-likebuckle elements made of rigid material and each including a raised beltattachment portion having parallel slots for attachment with a belt, araised locking portion having the upper and lower ends thereof bentrear- Wardly to form locking lips, a recessed receptor portionintermediate the raised belt attachment and locking portions and beingintegrally connected to each by a bend line which recesses the frontface of the receptor portion with respect to the front faces of theother two portions, the receptor portion having a length slightly lessthan the spacing between the locking lips of the raised locking portion,a width slightly greater than the width of the raised locking portion ofthe other buckle element and a depth which permits the locking portionof the other element to be accommodated therein between the two bendlines, the free edge of the raised locking element of said other buckleelement being closely spaced to the bend line between the recessedreceptor portion within which it is accommodated and the adjacent raisedlocking portion, and there being a rectangular open slot along the bendline between the raised locking portion and the recessed receptorportion for receiving the corresponding open slot of the other buckleelement so that when the two slots are engaged and moved to the lockedposition each raised locking portion maybe accommodated in the recessedreceptor portion of the other buckle element with the locking lipsengaging the edges of the recessed receptor portions to prevent relativemovement between the buckle elements.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 148,864 3/1874 West 24-751,047,376 12/1912 Brynteson. 2,127,498 8/1938 Westphal.

FOREIGN PATENTS 798,078 8/1935 France.

1,943 1870 Great Britain.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 24201

